1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wound dressings and treatment methods, and in particular to a wound dressing adapted for both introducing and evacuating fluids.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Wound dressings are typically applied over various types of wounds to promote healing and to reduce the risk of infection. Although various types of dressing materials have been successfully employed, membranes comprising semi-permeable materials are often preferred because they can increase patient comfort and lower the risk of infection. Semi-permeable membranes generally pass moisture vapors, but are generally impervious to liquids. Thus, they can promote healing by permitting a wound site to "breathe".
However, a problem can arise with semi-permeable membranes when they are placed over draining wounds because they tend to retain fluid. For example, surgical wounds often tend to drain for a post-operative period of about forty-eight hours. The fluid that can accumulate under such a semi-permeable membrane during a draining period can macerate the underlying tissue, cause infection and otherwise inhibit healing. A procedure for alleviating this problem involves periodically piercing the membrane, draining the accumulated fluids and resealing the membrane opening. However, such a procedure is time-consuming for health care professionals and, unless it is conducted at relatively frequent intervals, can be relatively ineffective in dealing with the problems associated with trapped fluid accumulation. Other procedures which involve opening or changing wound dressings tend to have problems associated with exposing a wound to a greater risk of infection and can be uncomfortable for patients.
Another disadvantage with many previous wound dressings is that they are not designed to accommodate the introduction of various liquid medications, such as antibiotics and growth factor solutions. The application of growth factor solutions may be particularly important in the regeneration of skin graft donor sites.
Heretofore there has not been available a wound dressing apparatus and method with the advantages and features of the present invention.